Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

2654 Motion Picture News Revise Ontario Theatre Admission Tax The amusement war tax on theatre and concert tickets has been revised by Hon. T. W. McGarry, Provincial Treasurer of Ontario, so that patrons of amusement houses buying tickets valued at more than 45c. after November 1 will be required to pay a much higher tax. Tickets valued at from 5c. to 45c. are not affected by the new arrangements at all, which means that moving picture theatres in Ontario escape the increase almost entirely. Patrons buying the 50c. box seats in several large film theatres will now pay a five cent tax in place of two cents and patrons buying 50c. to $1.50 tickets for special shows like " Hearts of the World," " Crashing Through to Berlin," etc., will have to pay a tax varying from 5c. to 15c. Roughly, the new scale provides a tax of approximately ten per cent, on all admission tickets over 45c. Another new rule, and one that will inconvenience reviewers and pass holders, is that an exhibitor will be prohibited from selling quantities of war tax tickets at one time to any patron. Tax tickets may only be sold at the theatre box office for current use. This change has been made to enable the Government to keep a close record of theatre patronage and the sale of war tax tickets. Bowles Going to France for Griffith George Bowles, who has been for several months General Manager of Feature Films for the Division of Films, Committee on Public Information, will sail for France at the earliest possible moment to act as European representative for the David W. Griffith pictures. These include " The Birth of a Nation," controlled by the Epoch Producing Corporation; "Intolerance," owned by the Wark Producing Corporation, and " Hearts of the World." Mr. Bowles will also represent the Division of Films in Paris. Kellette Writes Song to Assist Liberty Loan John Kellette, assistant to Kenean Buel, one of the William Fox directors, has written a Liberty Loan song, which has been officially adopted by the New York Liberty Loan Committee. The name of the song is " If You Can't Go Across with the Doughboys, Oh ! Boys, Come Across with the Dough." The words are by James S. Donahue. " Ghost of a Chance " Next O. Henry-General " The Ghost of a Chance," with Agnes Ayre and Edward Earle in the principal roles is the latest O. Henry story to . be filmed for release through General Film. The action of " The Ghost of a Chance " transpires mostly in a haunted room, with the chief characters a social climber, her devoted son, a resourceful widow and a sarcastic society leader. TMonor OSoll^ James H. Cassell, former motion picture editor of the Portland Oregonian and special correspondent of Motion Picture News has joined the "Tank" service and left for Fort Lawton, Washington, from whence he will go to Gettysburg, Pa. Capt. Albert A. Kaufman, formerly general production manager of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation's eastern studios, has left for overseas, where he has been entrusted with the important duty of supervising the work of all the cameramen of the U. S. Signal Corps connected with the American Expeditionary Forces. Charles (Dick) Rush, for nearly three years assistant to Cliff Smith, the Triangle director who handled the megaphone for William S. Hart and Roy Stewart, has deserted the moving picture world to become a soldier. Rush is now in Canada training and will fight with the Anzacs on his arrival in France. He was born in Australia and is a veteran of the Boer War. Eugene Pallette made his last appearance in motion pictures for the duration of the war at Metro's west coast studios in Hollywood, the other day. He expects in a few days to go to the Government flying field at Dallas, Texas, to complete his course of training with a view to getting a lieutenant's commission as a combat flyer. Charles Simone, manager of the General Film Exchange in New Haven, learns that his son, Peter C. E. Simone of Bayonne, N. J., film laboratory expert, and who was severely wounded while fighting in France, is at Base Hospital No. 6 at Bordeaux. Burt G. Phillips, for a long time staff photographer of the Publicity Department of the Fox Film Corporation, and formerly photographer for several New York newspapers, was notified this week that he has been commissioned a second lieutenant in the Signal Corps of the American Army. Writing from his post of active duty with the American Expeditionary Forces, dated at a place he identifies as " Near Where They Are Doing It," C. R. Cooper, formerly traveling auditor for General Film Company, announces his promotion from buck private to Battalion Sergeant Major, the highest non-commissioned office in the army. Cooper went across with the 305th Machine Gun Battalion. Sergeant Camille Legrand, the Pathe cameraman now en route from Paris to the Orient via. the United States, bears a letter of which he is justly proud. This letter, written by the Chief of the Cinematographic Service of the French Army, Lieut. J. L. Croze, reads in part as follows : " I take pleasure in sending you herewith copy of a letter which General Humbert, commander of the 3rd Army, has just sent me regarding your brilliant conduct at the time of the attack on Avocourt." Theatres Aiding Campaign for Smileage Books A plan is being carried out whereby motion picture houses all over the country can co-operate with the Government in entertaining the men in camp by pledging themselves to turn over ten per cent of their gross receipts for one day each month to the Smileage Division of the War Department Commission on Training Camp Activities to be used in supplying smileage books to soldiers. The General Film Corporation and a few other prominent picture organizations are already helping in the campaign. Eight houses under the jurisdiction of the former .have signed the pledge. This arrangement is to continue during the duration of the war. As far as possible the smileage will be supplied to • soldiers of those states and cities from which money is sent in. Smileage books are books of coupons which serve as admission to the Liberty theatres. The> come in two sizes, one containing twenty five-cent coupons and the other one hundred five-cent coupons. Instead of buying a ticket, the soldier tears off the number of coupons to the amount of the seat he wishes to purchase and presents them at the door. Fuel Conservation Picture Completed by Universal The Industrial Department of the Universal Film Company, through its manager, Harry Levey, has announced that the fourreel picture made for the United States Fuel Administration is completed. The reels have been forwarded to Dr. Garfield and will shortly be shown throughout the country under Government auspices. This picture was made in order to further conservation methods in the use of coal. Facts are brought out that show that industrial plants have wasted fifty million tons of coal through careless firing methods. Improvements are shown in the way of firing large boilers while many interesting ways for the individual householder to save coal are also pictured on the screen. Mr. Levey has also completed a film for Francis M. Hugo, Secretary of New York State. This film deals with the new headlight laws for automobiles. All the pictures were taken at night and various lights were tried out. Mr. Hugo himself appears in the picture. Capellani with French Picture Service Edmond Ratisbonne, director of the French Pictorial Service, announces that Paul Capellani, well known to the trade and public, has just been attached to the French High Commission to the United States in the capacity of Director of Productions for the French Pictorial Service. Mr. Capellani has just returned from Argentine, where he has been busy directing a big feature, which will soon be released in this country.